Procaine penicillin dosage

Administration of streptomycin intramuscularly is the method of choice for treating systemic infections. Oral forms of streptomycin or dihydrostreptomycin, frequently combined with sulfonamide drugs and other compounds, are also used in animals for treatment of enteric infections. In addition, streptomycin is used as a feed additive for growth promotion purposes. In some countries, the combination of streptomycin with procaine penicillin is used as an initial nonspecific therapy in farm animals, and in intramammary applications for treatment of mastitis. Intramuscular dosages are in the range 5-10 mg/kg bw, while oral dosages are 20 mg/kg bw. Dihydrostreptomycin is also used in veterinary medicine in intramammary and topical treatments. 

The rates of absorption, clearance, and elimination of penicillin G are further influenced by the route of administration. Intramuscular and subcutaneous injections provide drug to the bloodstream more slowly, but maintain concentrations longer than the intravenous administration. Absorption of penicillin G from intramuscular or subcutaneous sites can be further slowed down by the use of the relatively insoluble procaine salt. When equivalent dosages of penicillin G and procaine penicillin G were injected parenterally, peak residues concentration in blood occurred after 2 h and the drug had cleared the blood by 8 following penicillin G administration. With the procaine penicillin G, peak residues concentration appeared 5 h after injection and the drug cleared the plasma 24 h after administration (57). 

The beta-lactam antibiotics are commonly used because of their safety, efficacy, relatively low cost and the variety of dosage forms available. Both penicillins and cephalosporins have a four-membered beta-lactam ring that is responsible for the instability of these compounds. The penicillins are also relatively insoluble they are prepared as various salts by the substitution of the hydroxyl group or the hydrogen of the carboxyl group with sodium, potassium, benzathine or procaine. 

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